


Ever The Same

by primreceded



Category: American Idol RPF
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-08-24
Updated: 2010-08-24
Packaged: 2017-11-15 23:00:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,022
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/532724
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/primreceded/pseuds/primreceded





	Ever The Same

**Title:** Ever The Same  
 **Rating:** pg13  
 **Fandom:** Kradam  
 **Disclaimer:** All characters are real people, this story is a bizarre fantasy. I am in no way earning money or other profit from this fanfic.  
 **Char/Pair:** Kris Allen, Adam Lambert (pairing implied)  
 **Prompt:** Bullying @ [](http://www.insanejournal.com/users/hs_bingo/profile)[**hs_bingo**](http://www.insanejournal.com/users/hs_bingo/) \- table is [here](http://buyo105.insanejournal.com/705.html#cutid4)  
 **Spoilers:** None, AU  
 **Warnings:** Bullying, angst.  
 **W/C:** 912  
 **A/N:** Same universe as [Ever Enough](http://community.livejournal.com/county_lyne/17666.html), but is not a sequel. Bullying =/= gay bashing in this fic. I warned for angst this time! I'm a little iffy on continuing this after realizing it mimics a certain storyline on a certain TV show, but I _did_ start it 3 months ago so it was completely unintentional.

Kris has learned to keep his head down; the hard way, but right quick, and people mostly leave him alone now. But the skinny orchestra geek is an easy target to anyone looking to take out some frustrations, and by the way the full back is giving him the side-eye he’s pretty sure he’ll end up with a bruise or shoved into a locker before the day is through. And he should run, probably, or tell a teacher of his suspicions, but that would just piss the football player off even more and if Kris can escape with minimal damage then he’ll deal with what’s coming to him.

And for all he’s anticipating it throughout the day, nerves a wreck, it still catches him by surprise when it finally comes. The air leaves his lungs when he’s slammed against the wall, backpack digging into his side where it’s slung over one shoulder.

“Hey, freak.”

Kris can’t resist the urge to roll his eyes because, really? That’s the best he can come up with? And in retrospect he’ll realize that saying something sarcastic in return probably wasn’t the greatest idea, because fists hurt far more than his words ever will. But he’s tired of being everybody’s punching bag.

He bites back on the pained noise that threatens to escape, though, when the football player’s fist connects with his nose, because he’s not going to give him that satisfaction, no matter how badly it hurts. Tears fill his eyes and he closes them to keep them from spilling over and mixing with the blood that’s already pouring. Closes them so he doesn’t have to see the next punch.

It doesn’t come though, and the fist wrapped in his shirt is wrenched away, taking some buttons with it. He opens his eyes to see Adam slamming his teammate into the lockers on the other side of the hallway. The other guy is looking at Adam clearly confused and angry, and, when every time he opens his mouth to protest and Adam slams him back against the lockers, a bit of pain. Adam is talking in hushed tones so Kris can’t hear when he’s saying until the end, when he punctuates a “You got me?” with another slam against the locker. When the jock nods, Adam lets him go and glares after him as he stalks down the hallway.

Kris’s sniffling draws Adam’s attention back to him and he feels as if he’s pinned against the locker this time, Adam’s sharp blue eyes boring into him. He looks away only to have Adam cross the hallway in long, quick strides to take Kris’s face in hand, turning it every which way to get a good look at his nose while making disapproving noises.

“Come on,” Adam says and grabs Kris by the wrist before he can pull away, dragging him to the nearest bathroom. He parks Kris in front of the bank of sinks before turning on a cold faucet full blast and wedding down paper towels. Kris frowns at the expanding blood stain on his shirt.

Adam finishes soaking the paper and pushes at Kris’s shoulder with a damp hand until Kris huffs and turns around to lean against the sink. Adam places the cold compress on the bridge of Kris’s nose and the shorter boy hisses in pain. He’s going to have one hell of a black eye.

“I don’t think it’s broken, but maybe you should go get it checked anyway.”

“Why are you doing this?” Kris’s voice is whiney from his pinched nose and Adam smirks down at him. It kind of pisses Kris off a little. He snatches the paper towels from Adam’s hands and Adam takes a step back.

“Because I’m not an asshole,” Adam says in all seriousness and Kris snorts, which, _fuck_ , ow.

“That’s up for debate, yet.”

“Even after this?”

Kris just shrugs. He knows it isn’t Adam’s fault and that the other boy deserves thanks for helping, but Kris is still angry and embarrassed about all sorts of things, and Adam is at fault for most of _those_ anyway. He keeps his mouth shut and takes the damp cloth from Adam’s hand.

Adam doesn’t say anything, just sighs and turns to lean with his back against the sinks, arms crossed. Kris watches him out of the corner of his eye as he tosses the paper towels into the garbage and picks the cotton shavings left behind from his skin.

“If things were different - ”

“Save it,” Kris interrupts. “Things will never be different, Adam. We’re always going to be you and me.”

Kris washes his hands and dries them on his thighs before grabbing his backpack off the filthy bathroom floor. Adam’s got his bottom lip between his teeth, worrying the flesh and Kris wants to lean over and take it into his own mouth, maybe. He watches his feet instead.

“I think,” he says when he gets to the door of the bathroom. The lie sticks to the tip of his tongue, tastes a lot like giving up. “I think maybe that’s not even a good idea anymore.”

He waits a beat to see if Adam’s going to say anything, or grab him and pull him back, begging him not to go (because maybe Kris is a little melodramatic like that). But Adam doesn’t do anything, or say anything. And Kris leaves the bathroom thinking he just made the biggest mistake of his life.


End file.
